The Only Bind Left
by red-racer-fan
Summary: Arthur is given an object that can reveal the truth. Will he use it? Does he have a choice? kind of angsty. hurt!Merlin I plan on adding more to the story although it is readable as is. Warning: Arthur is definitely not going to be the good guy, magic reveal


Arthur was sitting alone in the council chambers to get a change in scenery while working on his latest peace treaty. There was a knock at the door. Before he could say anything an elderly woman walked inside, her hair thin and grey. She wore a robe that was black like the feather of a crow.

"Who are you? What is your name?" Arthur asked the woman who had just walked through the doors into the council chambers. The guards obviously had been knocked out or let her past, either way they were utterly useless.

"Who I be brings no purpose here. What business I have is another story." She said approaching the king who sat at a wooden table, papers were scattered about.

"I bring you a gift, Pendragon, a gift to some yet a curse to many." The woman produced a glass ball from her cloak and held it in front of her with her left hand.

"What is it?" Arthur asked the elderly woman.

"It does not matter what it is only what it will bring. It will show you the truth, and then it will ruin you." She cackled.

"What does that mean? What does it do?" Arthur questioned becoming increasingly more nervous with every step forward she took, yet somewhat intrigued.

"It shows the truth, nothing more and nothing less. Be warned Son of Uthur Pendragon it will show you a path that has been freshly paved. There is more than one way to ruin destiny." She smiled at him, an evil smile that let you know exactly what side she was on.

Arthur couldn't help himself, he knew it was wrong and he knew that once he asked the temptation would eventually be to much. "How do I use it?"

"It will work only once. Smash the globe, and all will be revealed." She said tilting her head slightly as she passed him the orb.

"How can I believe anything you tell me?" Arthur demanded after being momentarily distracted by the ball.

"You can't know for sure, you never could until the globe was made. I swear to you on my life that what I say is true. " She said.

"How will it ruin me? How did you find this?" He said. Questions came bubbling to the surface like boiling water.

"No more questions Pendragon." She said turning to leave.

"No you can not go!" Arthur said grasping his sword and pointing it at the woman.

"I can and I will. Unless you choose to kill me." She said with a determined stare.

"So be it." Arthur said as he stabbed the woman. She fell to her knees.

"AND SO THE PATH BE WALKED!" She cried before laughing madly. Arthur then realized what a terrible mistake he just made.

A month had passed since the woman had come and Arthur had not gone a day without thinking of the crystal globe.

'Will it really show the truth? Will the truth really ruin me? Is it ruining me now?" He thought to himself and glared at his hands. The globe was so beautiful, and was driving him to madness. The worst part was he knew what it was doing, and he also knew how to stop it. Should he use the orb it is said to ruin him, yet should he leave it the ball will drive him to insanity. 'I could not die without knowing' He reasoned with himself. 'Yet if I use it the truth will destroy me' He retorted in his mind. 'It will destroy you should you not use it. Then you'll never have to worry about true loyalties or secrets ever again.' The little voice in his head said. 'What if they are not my secrets to know?' He thought in a way that if said would come out as more of a statement rather then a question. 'With the orb everything is yours to know' the little voice said. Arthur called a meeting in the throne room.

"Sire, What is the cause of this meeting?" Leon said sitting down at the table.

"We shall soon discuss but first everyone must arrive." Arthur said in a trance.

"Are you alright Sire?" Leon asked worriedly.

"I am fine." Arthur snapped. The conversation ended there. Gwaine, Elyan, Gwen, Mordred, Perecival and more soon arrived and took their seats at the round table. Merlin was off to the side of course.

"Now that you are all here there is something very important I need to do." Arthur's voice sounded hollow, haunting, possessed almost.

"Around a month ago a woman approached me with an object that would reveal the truth to me. I hope there is no hidden truth from me, and most of all I hope that it does not work." Arthur said bringing the glass globe forth from his robe. The eyes around the table widened some with fear and others wondering when the king went mental.

He pushed his chair back suddenly and stood up hurling the the crystal ball at the floor. Everyone held their breath when it crashed and shattering into millions of little pieces. Nothing happened, not at first. A moment when by and the people breathed a sigh of relief. It was short lived because the dusted bits of glass began to glow brighter ad brighter until it was practically blinding. Then there were shouts of pain.

Agony shot through Merlin's body and he cried out and fell to his knees. As the dust began to dull the pain grew more intense. Yet he was not the only one crying out. For Mordred was as well.

Both boys were clawing at their throats as the knights watched in a confused panic. The last light from the remains of the ball disappeared. A blinding gold wave of sparks and light shone out of Mordred and Merlin and the pain ceased. Mordred was slowly being pushed closer to Merlin as the knights started walking towards them.

"What was that?!" Arthur demanded at the frightened boys that were huddling closer together and backing away from the on coming king and his knights. Arthur drew his sword and pointed it at them.

"YOU MY MOST LOYAL FRIENDS BETRAY ME! WHAT IS IT YOU HIDE FROM ME?!" Arthur screamed in rage. Mordred and Merlin looked at each other in confusion, had they not just seen the magic erupting from them. Instantly they realized that they must have thought the magic was from the globe and not them.

"ANSWER ME!"Arthur yelled coming closer to the pair that were now squished together and pressed against a wall.

"We have..m..." Merlin started whimpering pressing closer to Mordred.

"WHAT IS IT YOU HAVE?!" Arthur screamed at the cowering two, rage consuming his body.

"Magic." Mordred finished, his face flushed and his eyes wide. Mordred clung slightly to Merlin's sleeve as they awaited judgment. Arthur stood in shock.

'They lied to me all this time...I thought they were my friends, turns out they were nothing more than traitors.' Arthur thought.

"Leave, you are banished from Camelot. Do not return or I will kill you. You have until nightfall." He said calmly, although the rage beneath the skin was practically searing the atmosphere. "Be grateful I even let you live." Arthur said turning away.

"Please Arthur, think about this. I would never do anything to hurt you. This is my home, I've protected it since the moment I got here." Merlin reasoned.

"I have thought and my choice has been made. Leave before I kill you here." Arthur said glaring. Merlin and Mordred quickly rushed from the room and hurried to their chambers to pack their belongings.

"Giaus!" Merlin cried breaking down into sobs.

"Oh dear, what is it my boy?" Giaus ran over to Merlin.

"Arthur,he knows." He said in between hiccups.

"Knows what?" Giaus asked.

"That I ate his apple this morning! He knows I have magic!" Merlin snapped.

"Oh no..." Giaus said looking worried.

"I have to leave by nightfall." He said going to his room to grab his belongings. He didn't hear anything else Giaus said he was too mixed up in his own thoughts.

'Maybe Giaus could talk some sense into him.' Merlin hoped in his head and then scoffed at himself. ' Even if he did what would they have left? A broken friendship, forced smiles and conversations. Besides he was a sorcerer, even if he did return Arthur would have to change the law. He wouldn't do that just for me.' Merlin thought. He doesn't even remember when it changed. A few months ago Arthur and him had a small falling out, it wasn't anything Gwen couldn't fix though. The fights became more frequent sometimes over little things like Merlin spilling something and then they became more aggressive. The once warm joking banter they once had turned spiteful. Arthur no longer joked when he called Merlin pathetic and an idiot, there was no sign of fondness. The knights didn't seem to notice the difference or maybe they just didn't care. Then Arthur hit him. It wasn't like the other times when he patted his back or lightly punched his arm. At first he ignored it, and then it happened again. It wasn't long before the other knights joined in. At first it they had thought it was a joke, but that to changed to cruelty over time. Merlin's faith in Arthur was fading. The only knight that didn't abuse Merlin was Mordred. Sometimes he would help Merlin bandage himself when it got to bad. Now Merlin left as soon as his duties were over. His spare time was spent less with Arthur and the knights and more alone studying in his room. Sometimes Mordred came and they would practice some spells but it wasn't often because of the harsh training schedule for the knights.

Merlin was interrupted from his dreary thoughts when another voice was in his head.

'Are you ready?' Mordred's voice said.

'Almost. I'll meet you outside.' Merlin replied.

Meanwhile Mordred was getting the horses ready. He felt glares on his back. He felt the hate towards him. He was never good enough right from the start. An alright fighter, but never enough for approval. When he did finally get the appreciation from the king all the knights would glare with jealousy. It wasn't always that way. But time changed people. No one liked to be beat, especially not by a inexperienced druid boy. When he patrolled with Odin and some they would cough under their breath 'traitor.' Because he was born a druid he was less than them.

Mordred jumped slightly when Merlin put his hand on his arm.

"It's just me. I can take it from here." Merlin said strapping on his pack to the horse. They wasted no time leaving.

AUTHORS NOTE:

Hey guys, what did you think?

Tell me if you think I should continue this story.

Spoiler: if I do continue the story Mordred and Merlin are going to take a major turn to the dark side. More than likely without Morgana.

(If you think she should live tell me if not also tell me. I love hearing from you guys)

;P


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